(no subject)

[semi_stable]

When Loki suggests that they grab dinner, Bucky doesn't think much of it, really. It wouldn't be the first meal they've gotten together, not even the first at this particular restaurant. Honestly, once he thought about getting another one of those steaks, he stopped asking questions.

After spending the afternoon lounging around with Bopp and reading a book, he takes her for an evening walk and then showers. Since he has time, he trims the scruff on his face and cleans up the edges, and then pulls out the one black suit that he has in his closet. He bought it early on, first to blend in while he was spying on people, and then to do the same at the few parties he's been to.

It's too hot for a button down so he just puts on a dark blue v-neck tee underneath and finishes it off with his one black belt, and his one pair of dress shoes. As he pulls his watch off of the dresser, his eyes linger on the black leather gloves sitting in the top drawer. Normally, he'd wear then to cover his hand if he was dressing up and he pauses for a moment, looking down at his prosthetic and flexing his black and gold fingers. He swallows hard and then shuts the drawer, turning to look at himself in the mirror and smoothing his hair back with his hand.

"Ah, ah. Don't touch me. You'll get fur everywhere," he says as he hops out of Bopp's reach, turning to rub her behind the ears. "I'll be back."

It isn't too far to the steakhouse and the heat of the day is starting to burn away, so Bucky walks. He even whistles to himself a little on the way until someone looks at him and he realizes what he's doing. It makes him chuckle and he shakes his head, pulling his phone out of his pocket to compose a text.

I'm outside.

Comments

[semi_stable]

“Hm. Not one of the ones I know,” Bucky replies in a low voice, filing that information away for later. He’s always done pretty well at picking up languages.

His brow furrows a little at the comment about Odin, and he’s reminded again that this is a glamour, a mask over Loki’s true form. He’d caught a glimpse of it in the woods, and it struck him then, too.

“You’re beautiful either way,” Bucky assures him, nuzzling into Loki’s hand and pressing his own into the bed next to Loki’s shoulder. “If you think I wouldn’t fuck you just ‘cause you’re blue, you’ve got another thing coming.”

He grins and winks at Loki, chuckling a little before kissing him deeply, licking into his mouth as he thrusts just a little harder, grinding his hips against Loki’s ass after each one, wanting to be as deep as possible.

The admission makes Bucky pause, hips stuttering for only a moment before he resumes his pace, pulling back to meet Loki’s eye again. He swallows hard and nods jerkily, staring at Loki for a long moment before ducking down to kiss him again, murmuring against his lips. “I know you do.”

[thewrongpath]

Laughing breathlessly, Loki admitted, "Frost Giants are ten feet tall, on average. I understand I was a bit of a runt, but comparatively, your cock would be quite tiny."

Bucky continued to speak, and all desire to make jokes left him. He moaned breathlessly, shuddering at the slow, steady approach of his orgasm.

"Harder," he murmured, urging Bucky on with a hand gripping Bucky's ass. "Just a bit harder." He sounded woefully needy, but couldn't find it in himself to care.

[semi_stable]

“Oh.” Bucky doesn’t know what to make of that for a moment, too distracted by his pleasure to really process it. “I’ll definitely have to be on top, then. You wouldn’t fit.”

When Loki grabs at him and urges him on, Bucky nods and swallows hard, kissing him again before pulling back to sit up on his haunches. In this position, he can hook one of Loki’s long legs over his shoulder, metal hand curved over the front of his thigh as he uses that grip to drag Loki down onto his cock, shifting the angle of his hips until he finds just the right one.

“It’s not tiny now though, is it,” Bucky says in a playfully smug tone, mostly just to make Loki smile even while he’s being fucked. It still stuns him to be able to experience both of those things at once. Grunting, he wraps his other hand around Loki’s cock, thumbing at the head as he picks up speed just a little, trying to drive him over the edge. “You look like you’re enjoying it.”

[thewrongpath]

"Oh, god, I haven't bruised your ego, have I?" Loki laughed, stifling a shout as Bucky's, cock drove in at a new, deeper angle, startling him with a jolt of pleasure.

"It's perfect," he groaned, the pleasure in his groin tightening like a fist, "it's–"

He came with a shuddering groan, Bucky's name lost in a jumble of incoherent syllables. "Fuck," he gasped, reaching for Bucky then and dragging him into a desperate kiss.

[semi_stable]

No, Loki has not bruised his ego. If anything, he’s only stoking it with how he comes, like his orgasm has been ripped from him. Bucky will never tire of this, not ever.

He strokes Loki through it and only falls forward once Loki grabs at him, shifting his leg until it’s hooked over Bucky’s elbow and he can lean down, nearly bending him in half as their mouths meet in a messy, passionate kiss.

Loki clenches down around him, fucks back against him, and Bucky can’t help but to tumble right after him, coming with a shout that’s muffled by Loki’s tongue. His cock pulses, emptying into Loki’s body, marking his insides, and Bucky groans as he settles on top of Loki’s body, hands sliding down his thighs to help adjust his legs into a more comfortable position.

“My ego remains just fine,” he pants out, grinning as he lifts a hand to take Loki’s chin between his thumb and index finger, squeezing playfully before drawing him in for another kiss.

[thewrongpath]

"Perfect," Loki murmured, grinning back woofishly as Bucky took his chin in hand and jerked him into another kiss.

Legs falling more loosely around Bucky's hips, Loki groaned indulgently, a hand ruffling in Bucky's hair while the other settled low against his spine.

"Good morning," he murmured again, smiling into a lazy kiss.

[semi_stable]

"Good morning," Bucky echoes, hopelessly charmed by the smile on Loki's face. They settle together and Bucky feels so content, so relaxed, that it's no surprise that it doesn't last.

Bucky pulls back from the kiss and opens his eyes, flinching in surprise when he catches Bopp's face out of his peripheral vision. Her chin is on the bed as she gives them both a very unimpressed look. Once Bucky notices her, she lets out a low whine and stamps one paw.

"Bopp! Go get your leash," Bucky says with a laugh, waiting for her to avert her eyes before he eases his cock out of Loki. He's still laughing, one hand lifting to cover his face, and Bopp lets out a very judgmental sounding bark as she makes her way down the hall.

"I've neglected my duties," he says to Loki, sounding almost baffled by it, and then he looks down at Loki, flushed and glistening in the morning light, and lets out a sad whine of his own. "Really wishing for that place with a yard right now. You want to wait for me here?"

[thewrongpath]

Following Bucky's startled eye line, Loki barked out a laugh at Bopp's judgmental face staring back at them, which only got funnier when she let out an indignant bark. Bucky eased away, leaving Bucky sprawled on tangled sheets.

Boosting himself up on his elbows, Loki smirked, watching as the other man darted around the room, gathering up his clothes before the dog really gave them both a piece of her mind.

"I'll see if I can make sense of your coffee maker," Loki offered, shifting to the edge of the bed and searching out the sweats Bucky had given him the night before.

[semi_stable]

“If I can figure it out, I’m sure you can,” Bucky says with a laugh, pulling a wrinkled t-shirt over his head and then hurriedly pulling on his sneakers, forgoing socks in his rush. “I’ll be right back.”

He turns to see Loki sitting up in bed and frowns a little when he realizes that their time to lounge in bed has come to an end. But Loki doesn’t seem like he wants to leave, content to stay here in Bucky’s shitty apartment and wait for a mediocre breakfast, and that makes up for it.

Bucky comes around to put his hand on the back of Loki’s neck, leaning down to press a firm, lingering kiss to his mouth. Bopp lets out another bark and Bucky rolls his eyes as he pulls away, laughing and giving Loki a lazy salute as he walks backwards out of the room.

“I’m coming!” Bucky calls out, hooking Bopp’s leash to her collar and leading her out of the apartment. She gives him another judgey look as they wait for the elevator, and Bucky laughs as he ducks down to scratch at her ears. “I guess we’re all learning how to share, huh?”

He leads her out of the building and it’s only once they’ve neared the park that he realizes that he felt no hesitation about leaving Loki alone in his apartment, and he can’t help but to smile because it feels like progress.

[thewrongpath]

Listening to the two of them leave, Loki finally found his pants, crumpled on the floor and kicked half under the bed. Pulling them on, he made his way barefoot into the en suite, quickly taking care of business and giving himself a quick glance in the mirror. When he emerged, he'd cleaned himself up just a bit, his hair smoother and the sleep wiped from his eyes.

The coffee machine was just a standard drip brewer, and he popped in a filter and scooped grounds into the basket, filling the reservoir with water and pressing the little button. He could've easily done it all with magic, but after a while, doing everything with a wave of a hand could get a little boring.

He liked to change things up now and then.

While he waited, he did a slow, curious loop of the living room, reading the spines of books and picking up the few, varied knick-knacks Bucky seemed to have acquired over the last year. On the coffee table, was the copy of The Hobbit, which Loki had given him, the pages marked with a torn scrap of paper.

[semi_stable]

Bopp does her business and after Bucky tosses the plastic bag into the trash, he lets her frolic for a bit and ducks into the park’s little restroom to take care of his own business, trusting her not to run off.

After washing his hands, he comes out to find Bopp jogging up to him with a stick she found, and he throws it clear across the grassy area, watching her run after it. Maybe he should think about moving, for her sake. Keeping her cooped up in an apartment when she so obviously likes being outside feels a little cruel.

He could think the same for himself, but he’s not innocent like she is. He doesn’t deserve the best there is. He doesn’t set out to get nice things for himself, but as he turns to look over at his apartment building, knowing what’s waiting for him, he can’t help but to be glad that sometimes nice things find him anyway.

“Okay, come on,” he says after throwing the stick hard enough and far enough a few times for her to be panting as she trots back up to him. “Time to go home.”

Bopp pauses at his side while he connects her leash and then trots alongside him as they make the short trek back. As they walk, he talks to her out loud, trying to convince himself that he can at least look and see what other housing options might be available.

They head back upstairs and when Bucky lets himself into his apartment, he smells fresh coffee and sees Loki sitting on his sofa, thumbing through the book he gave Bucky as a gift. It makes him flush a little, and he smiles as he takes off Bopp’s leash and steps out of his shoes.

“I’m trying not to read it all at once,” he explains as he tosses Bopp a few treats. His own stomach is growling so he passes by Loki, reaching down to pat the inside of his knee as he does. “Come on, you can watch me make breakfast.”

[thewrongpath]

"There's nothing wrong with savoring something you enjoy," Loki said, snapping the book shut and leaving it on the coffee table where he'd found it. Off her leash, Bopp trotted over and nudged at his thigh with her nose, demanding attention. He scratched behind her ears, giving her neck a pat as he rose to his feet and followed Bucky into the kitchen.

"Are you in need of an audience?" He teased, finding a place mostly out of the way to lean. The kitchen, like in every assigned apartment in Darrow, was cramped and poorly lit, but was functional enough. More importantly, the size of it meant that Bucky was hardly ever out of arm's reach.

[semi_stable]

“You did say that you wanted to watch me slave over a hot stove,” Bucky reminds him in a dryly amused voice, smirking over at Loki as he leans against the counter, Bopp trailing after to sit at his feet. The sight of it makes Bucky warm with an emotion that he isn’t sure that he could put a name to, but it makes him happy.

He fixes two cups of coffee, each to their liking, and holds Loki’s out to him before taking a sip of his own, setting the mug down so he can rifle through the fridge. He pulls out eggs, bacon, and butter for toast, setting it all on the counter next to Loki and getting out supplies. He eats a lot of eggs so it’s easy enough to get a few frying in a pan while he puts the bacon in another, looking over at Loki as he pokes at it with a spatula.

It all feels so domestic, like warmth and safety, from Loki watching him, long fingers curled around one of Bucky’s few coffee mugs, to Bopp laying at their feet in hopes of something being dropped.

“Do you like plums?” Bucky asks after carefully flipping the eggs, reaching out to pluck one up from his fruit bowl and squeezing to make sure it’s right. He pauses, biting his lip softly, and then looks over at Loki almost shyly. Sharing things about himself still feels strange, but it’s easier with Loki. “They’re my favorite fruit. I can slice up a few.”

[thewrongpath]

"I do recall saying something along those lines," Loki admitted, taking his mug with a murmur of thanks. It was a small thing, that they both knew how the other took their coffee, but in that moment, it felt rather momentous.

At Bucky's question, Loki nodded, giving him an encouraging smile. "I'd love some."

There was quite a bit of food he was still learning about, having never been exposed to it for one reason or another, but plum trees flourished rather nicely in Asgard.

[semi_stable]

"Good." He gives Loki a private smile, watching him for a moment before the sizzling of the bacon draws his attention back to the task at hand. They're small things, really. Favorite foods, how they take their coffee, how they look first thing in the morning. Small but personal, too. There are so few people left that know these things about Bucky, and it's nice to know that there are still people who want to learn them.

Bucky isn't much of a chef, but this is a breakfast that he makes for himself often so he works quickly and efficiently, putting bread into the toaster and then slicing up plums in a way that casually displays his comfort and agility with a knife. He grabs a two plates and puts everything together, eggs over easy, buttered toast, bacon, and fruit, tearing a piece of bacon in half to toss one piece to Bopp and eat the other, unable to resist the smell with how ravenous he is.

"As promised," Bucky says with a smile, holding one plate out for Loki to take. "A standard American breakfast."

[thewrongpath]

There was a comforting rhythm to the way that Bucky moved about the kitchen, and Loki allowed himself the enjoyment of simply watching him. The food, however simple, smelled delicious, and soon, his own stomach was growling with impatience.

"Thank you. It looks perfect," Loki said, with playful sincerity, and leaning in to kiss Bucky's brow as he took the offered plate.

"Where should we sit?"

[semi_stable]

The kiss makes Bucky smile softly and he leads Loki to the small table in what functions as his dining room. It's near a window and Bucky cracks it open while it's somewhat cool outside, letting in fresh air before taking a seat. Bopp follows them and lays down near the table, not quite begging for food but letting them know that she is available if they happen to drop something.

"She always gets me to share," Bucky admits, chuckling at himself as he picks up a picks up a piece of bacon with his fingers and bites off a piece. "I guess I'm just a sucker for a pair of puppy eyes."

He looks over at Loki with a smirk, gaze lingering fondly for a moment before he picks up his fork and cuts into an egg, pleased to find the yolk nice and runny. Maybe it's just a quick two egg breakfast, standard at any diner, but it's the first time that he's cooked for someone in a long time, maybe longer than he can even remember, so of course he wants to have done a good job.

[thewrongpath]

At Bucky's pointed look, Loki answered with a smirk of his own, settling down to his meal with a contentedness he couldn't fully explain. It wasn't the first time he'd been cooked for, but rarely had it ever occurred when the other person wasn't getting paid to do so. It felt like a first, which ought to have been nearly impossible for someone his age.

He and Bucky and Sylvie continued to find new ways to surprise one another.

"This is quite good," he admitted, polishing off a second slice of bacon and reaching for his toast, tearing it into pieces which could be dipped into the perfectly runny yolk of his egg.

[semi_stable]

"I'll make them whenever you decide you want to put out," Bucky tells him, and even though the words are crude, his tone is warm and fond. It's just so much easier to say it that way than to tell Loki that he'll make these eggs whenever he spends the night, and to please feel free to do so whenever he'd like.

He knows that this won't happen all the time. Loki has his own home, has Sylvie to share a bed with, has his own life to live. But every so often, maybe he'll stay, and Bucky will always make sure to have things to make for breakfast.

"But I do feel like that's high praise coming from you," Bucky says as he spears a piece of plum with his fork, sucking a bit of juice from the end of it before biting it in half, savoring the taste of it as he watches Loki sop up his yolk, getting yellow on his fingertips as he drags the bread through it. Looking at him now, Bucky would never guess that he was royalty, or a god. He looks beautiful like this, relaxed and without pretense, hair spilling across his forehead.

Bucky finds that he just has to touch him, so he bites the rest of the plum off of his fork and lifts his foot under the table, resting his toes on top of Loki's for a point of contact.

[thewrongpath]

"What about if I want pancakes?" Loki asked, eyes smiling as he finished off his piece of toast and sucked a bit of butter from the pad of his thumb.

Beneath the table, Bucky's bare foot overlapped his own. Loki reached for his coffee, intent on hiding his wider smile behind the rim of his cup.

"What are your plans for today, then? No more throwing knives at trees?"

[semi_stable]

“Then I’ll make pancakes, greedy,” Bucky teases, biting his bottom lip as Loki tries to hide a smile. He takes this as a sign to continue and slides his toes over the top of Loki’s foot and up under the cuff of his sweatpants, brushing his ankle bone.

“No, I don’t think so. For some reason, I’m feeling rather relaxed today.” He smirks at Loki and tears another piece of bacon in half so he can give it to Bopp, who takes it from his fingers very gently and then scarfs it down.

“I’ll probably just hang out around here,” he adds, wondering if the question means that Loki plans on leaving soon. “What about you?”

[thewrongpath]

"We're still getting settled into the townhouse," Loki said, stifling at smile at the little exchange between Bucky and the dog. They were terribly sweet.

"I ought to go make myself useful there for a bit."

Under the table, Loki stretched his leg a bit, giving Bucky better access.

[semi_stable]

Bucky finds himself disappointed by the thought of Loki leaving, which seems a little odd after how much time they’ve spent together over the past twenty-four hours. He should want a break, but instead he just wants to drag Loki back into his bed.

He tells himself that he can’t ask Loki to stay longer, nor should he offer to come help with their home. He’ll just have to be okay with whatever Loki needs to go do.

“Okay,” Bucky tells him, smiling softly and sliding his toes up Loki’s calf and then back down to the top of his foot, resting there. “Tell Sylvie I said hi.”

[thewrongpath]

"Of course," Loki murmured, finishing off his coffee and stopping just short of smashing the mug. "She's thrown herself headlong into decorating, it seems. She might even have a job or two for you."

Chewing on the last of his bacon, he admitted, "It seems I'm rubbish at putting together furniture."

[semi_stable]

“Oh, I didn’t realize that I had volunteered,” Bucky says dryly, even though they both know that he’d no doubt do his best to do whatever she asked of him. The thought of Sylvie decorating brings a smile to his face. It’s good that she has a place of her own.

“As you can see, I don’t have much of a knack for decorating.” His smile is self-deprecating and a little sad, but why decorate a place that doesn’t feel like home?

“You? Not good at manual labor?” Bucky asks, as if he’s shocked by the news. “Oh, my stars and garters.”